The dad-of-three launched a legal bid for racial discrimination against Limerick City Council, and he has now learned he’s won the case, also winning £4,200 in compensation.

He told the Sunday Sun how he has given the cash away to charity, and steadfastly vows to stay on as a firefighter, despite never discovering who left the offending note.

He said: “I never did this for the compensation – I gave that away to a charity in South America.

“The reason I stood up and took this case was because it was a ridiculous situation and I didn’t want it to happen to anyone else.

“People say to me they didn’t think this happened anymore, but it does. I was moved from the shift of people who I thought did it, on my insistence, but the people who did the note have never been brought forward.”

Mr Mannering, who has two sons aged nine and 18 and a 16-year-old daughter, become a fireman 10 years ago and claims a number of incidents have taken place at work and during a training course, in which he was treated “less favourably” than co-workers. In September 2006 the anonymous note was left in his locker warning him to follow the example of a former colleague, who transferred from Limerick to Dublin fire service, which read: “This is Limerick, Ireland, not Middlesbrough, England. Take (a named former employee’s) advice.”

He reported the note to a member of the Human Resources staff, then met the chief fire officer with his union representative, but he said no further action was taken – a fact which was admitted at the tribunal.

Limerick City Council denied discrimination, saying it employed two other English firefighters and everyone is treated equally.

But the Equality Officer Stephen Bonnlander said the anonymous writer, or writers, were suggesting he should leave his job, and linked this to his nationality.

In the decision which was released last week, he said: “I find that the chief fire officer’s failure to insist on an investigation amounts to a failure to take steps as are reasonably practicable to prevent the complainant’s harassment.”

Mr Mannering, who appeared on the Irish version of Dragons’ Den with his cycle firm GoEco, added: “I have absolutely thought about quitting but I have a secure job and every day I just take it on the chin.”